I came into contact with the crypto world in 2021. At that time, I was still a novice with no knowledge of the high-volatility market. Initially, I was very cautious, only putting in 100U to 'test the waters,' placing orders based on my feelings, and unexpectedly, it quickly doubled. In that moment, I thought I had found the 'shortcut' in life.
So, my courage grew as well, and my capital increased from 100U to 1000, 5000, 10000... I no longer set stop losses, only thinking about making money on every trade, even if I was losing money on paper, I was unwilling to admit defeat, adding positions and holding on. Surprisingly, nothing major went wrong, and my account value was slowly increasing.
Until the wave when ETH rose to over 4000 US dollars, I heavily shorted, and I couldn't hold on at all. With no hope of recovery, I ultimately faced liquidation. For the first time, I truly experienced what 'the cruelty of the market' means.
I was not convinced, so I deposited again. It just so happened that I caught the market crash on May 19, which fell sharply again, leading to another full liquidation. This time, I was completely awakened, and my faith in contracts collapsed at that moment. I exited the crypto space and turned to embrace the A-share market.
But my friend, he didn't give up. He entered the market with me, and we both faced liquidation together. Yet he kept learning even as the market fell. He is the kind of person who must achieve excellence in whatever he does, even if he fails many times and his assets shrink countless times, he still persists in studying contract trading.
Until 2024, I suddenly noticed he began to make stable profits. Watching him slowly find his own rhythm, I started to reconsider during the time I was heavily tied up in the A-share market, whether it was possible to return to the crypto world.
So, I started again with a small amount of capital following him. I practiced and reviewed my trades based on his ideas and began to reflect on where I had gone wrong in the past.
At first, I also tried to imitate his every move: where he opened a position, I would open one too; how he set stop losses, I would do the same. But the result was always 'it looks the same, but in reality, it's very different.'
He could endure the anxiety after consecutive stop losses, waiting for a big profit, while after a series of losses, my mindset began to collapse. I would either watch from the sidelines with a light position or miss opportunities entirely.
This made me increasingly aware of a fact:
Imitating others can only teach you the surface; true trading requires personal cultivation.
My friend's method is not wrong, but it is based on his personality, understanding, and sense of rhythm. He follows a high-risk, high-reward path, with a low win rate but significant gains in one go. Meanwhile, I tend to be more conservative, pursuing stability and a balanced mindset. If I rigidly apply his model, it will eventually lead to a 'derailment' due to insufficient psychological resilience.
So I changed my approach: learn his logic, but no longer copy his operations. Gradually incorporate my understanding to find a style that suits me. I no longer pursued 'doubling overnight,' but instead focused on steady progress, slowly building my own trading system.
Now, I am starting to see stable small profits. Although it’s not as volatile as his returns, my account is finally no longer experiencing huge fluctuations. My rhythm is also becoming smoother.
Summary: Trading is truly a personal cultivation.
It is not a race to see who is faster or more accurate, but a deep self-refinement.
You must confront your own greed, reconcile with your fear, create distance from your impulses, and learn to persist in solitude, reflect in losses, and continue learning in despair.
The success stories of others can be referenced, but they can never be replicated.
Trading is ultimately a solitary endeavor; you must find the answers on your own.
Take your time, it's not about being fast, but about not standing still.
On the path of cultivation, may we both find our own style and live the way we want.
